Niffler

A Niffler is a treasure-hunting creature with a long narrow snout. They are very attracted to shiny things, which makes them wonderful for locating anything metallic or shimmery, but they might bite if a person is wearing any jewellery.

Known uses

During the 1994–1995 school year, Rubeus Hagrid used them as part of the Fourth yearsCare of Magical Creatures class. Prior to class he hid Leprechaun gold in the earth in front of his hut. He paired each student with a Niffler and promised a prize to whoever found the most gold. Ron Weasley asked Rubeus Hagrid if they could buy these Nifflers as pets, and with knowledge, Hagrid said his mum wouldn't want one because they wreck houses, but this was not a definitive "no". This means there is a very good chance that wizards can purchase Nifflers. When Hagrid caught Gregory Goyle pocketing the gold, he explained that trying to steal it was pointless, as Leprechaun gold was worthless because it disappeared after a few hours. Ron's Niffler found the most gold, so Hagrid rewarded him with a large slab of chocolate from Honeydukes.

Behind the scenes

In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, Nifflers can be seen in outdoor places such as on the Hogwarts grounds, and in the maze used for the Third Task. They can be shot with Reducto and similar spells for Studs. Sometimes, like on the shores of the Black Lake, a certain number must be shot to unlock characters. They appear similar to moles.

After the second Niffler was let loose in Dolores Umbridge's office, she put in place an extra security protection that caused her to catch Harry when he snuck into the office to use the fireplace.